Refrigerating apparatus



G. MUFFLY REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Oct. 21, 1930,

Filed March a, 1927 guw 5W3)? ATTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 21, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE' ennnn murrmr, or DETROIT, MICHIGAN, nssrenon 'ro cornnmn rnonuc'i's me, or person, mcnmxn, A conronxrron or firemen nnrnrennnrrne APPARATUS Application filed March 3, 1927. Serial No. 172,274.

One of the principal objects of my invenchamber for refrigerating apparatus which shall .be simple and eflicient as well as economical to manufacture.

Specifically, my invention embraces an expansion chamber of the sheet metal type wherein superposed sheets of metal are positioned relative to each other so as to provide .10 a space between them in which refrigerant may expand. It is customary in expansion chamber of this character to weld the faces of the sheets of metal together at'intervals, with the expectation that the refrigerant will spread over the faces of the metal. I have found, however, particularly where the refrigerant moves in a downward path, that there is a tendency for'the same to follow a relatively narrow course instead of spreading over the face of the sheet metal to thereby utilize the entire area thereof. It is therefore one of the objects of my invention to secure the faces of the sheet metal together over the course of extended spaced lines,

which may be staggered with relation to each other, so as to enforce the windin of the refrigerant over the entire face of t at portion of the expansion chamber which is sotreated.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the arrangement, combination and construction of the various parts of my improved device as described in the specification, claimed in my claims and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation, with certain parts broken away, illustrating an expansion chamber embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 22 ofFig.1'.-

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Flg. 1.

I have shown a sheet metal type expansion chamber comprising sheets 5and 6, the edges of which are conventionally joined together as at 7 by welding or any other suitable means.

tion is to provide a freezer or expansion A. plurality of depressions 8 are provided in I sheet 5 which connects with a conventional expansion valve 11 and supply pipe 12' through which the refrigerant may pass to the ex'pansion chamber. An opening 13 is provided in the sheet 6 to which is secured an outlet pipe 14.

It will be observed, by particular reference to Fig. 2, that the right hand side of the expansion chamber, as seen in that figure of the drawing, is vertically disposed so that the refrigerant which enters through the opening 10 follows a downward course to the bottom of the expansion chamber. In order to overcome the tendency of the refrigerant in this side of the expansion chamber to follow a more or less narrow line in its downward course, I have provided a pluralit of seam welded lines 16 and 17, joining the aces of the sheets together. The lines 16 begin at one edge of the sheets and extend to a point adjacent the opposite edge thereof, in a horizontal plane, as is articularly shown inFig. 1. The lines 17 .egin at the latter edge of the sheets and extend to a point adjacent the former edge thereof. Each of the lines is slightly inclined to the horizontal so as to cause the refrigerant to gflow down them and thereby overcome a tendency for the same to be pocketed. It will be apparent that the refrigerant entering the opening 10 will be deflected along the first line 16 to the end thereof from whence it will drop to the first line 17 to be carried across the face of the ex ansion chamber and then drop to the secon line 16 from whence the same-action is continued to the bottom of the ex ansion chamber. Thus the refrigerant is o necessity carried across the entire face of the expansion chamber and the entire area thereof is utilized, 4

While the same lines may be applied to the bottom, top and other side portions-of the expansion chamber I have not found it to be necessary becausethe liquid refrigerant will by gravity flow over the faces of those sections of the expansion chamber because it is not flowing in a downward path It wiil be obvious that various changes may be made in the arrangement, combina: tion and construction in the various parts ot' my improved device without departing "from the spirit of my invention and it is my 1ntention to cover by my claims such changes as may be reasonably included within thescope thereof.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the class described, a pair or superposed sheets of metal having their edges sealed together to form a vertically disposed chamber and having elongated intermediate portions thereof continuously welded together, said welds extending in staggered relation to each other, some begin.- ning at one edge of the sheets and extending adjacent the opposite edge, others beginning at the latter edge and extending adjacent the former, and a plurality of spot welds joining the sheets intermediate the elongatedportions, said elongated portions extending in substantially horizontal planes and an inlet opening for the space between the sheets positioned above the said portions.

2. In a device of the class described, a pair of superposed sheets of metal having their edges sealed together to form a Vertically extending chamber between the sheets, an inlet opening adjacent the top of the chamher, said sheets being joined together intermediate their edges along a plurality of separated lines, which extend in horizontal planes, some of said lines beginning at one edge of the sheets and extending to a point adjacent the other edge thereof and others of said lines beginning at the latter edge and extending to a point adjacent the former edge, each of said lines being slightly tilted to permit liquid to flow down them by gravity.

3. An expansion element for refrigerating mechanisms comprising a pair ofgenerally spaced sheet metal plates sealed together at their edges to form a closed refrigerant passage between them, an inlet for refrigerant at one end of said plates, and an outlet for refrigerant at the other end of said plates, said plates being bent to form a chamber closed on its top, bottom and sides and with said inlet at the top of one of said sides, and said side between said sheets being provided with bafiles extending alternately from each side laterally and downwardly whereby refrigerant introducedinto said inlet will flow by gravity in a devious path through said passageway to the lowermost point thereof.

GLENN MUFFLY. 

